2 Samuel 3 - Introduction
_CHILDREN ARE BORN TO DAVID IN HEBRON. ABNER COMES OVER TO DAVID, AND IS KILLED BY JOAB. DAVID LAMENTS HIM, AND ENJOINS A PUBLIC MOURNING._ _Before Christ 1048._... [ Continue Reading ]
_CHILDREN ARE BORN TO DAVID IN HEBRON. ABNER COMES OVER TO DAVID, AND IS KILLED BY JOAB. DAVID LAMENTS HIM, AND ENJOINS A PUBLIC MOURNING._ _Before Christ 1048._... [ Continue Reading ]
ABNER MADE HIMSELF STRONG FOR THE HOUSE OF SAUL— Immediately after the sacred historian has informed us that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul, we have an account of Ish-bosheth's accusing him of a criminal intimacy with his father's concubine. Both these circumstances put together, ex... [ Continue Reading ]
SO DO GOD TO ABNER, AND MORE ALSO— We have here a clear discovery of the character of Abner. Instigated by revenge, he not only threatens to abandon his master, but acknowledges the injustice of the cause in which he had engaged, and the divine appointment of David to the throne. "Such," says Pellic... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE THING I REQUIRE— David did right in making this stipulation; for, whatever may be said of his other wives, he had certainly a claim to this, as she was his first wife, and a king's daughter: and there was something of true generosity in this, both to her and to Saul, in that he received her afte... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE BLOOD OF ASAHEL HIS BROTHER— How empty and ill-founded are the purposes of vain man! Abner, who promises kingdoms, (2 Samuel 3:10.) cannot secure to himself one single hour of life. David had _sent him away,_ and he _departed in peace;_ but being called back by _Joab,_ he fell. Envy, doubtle... [ Continue Reading ]
LET IT REST ON THE HEAD OF JOAB— Houbigant very properly renders this in the future tense, _but it shall, or will rest upon the head of Joab, and on all his father's house, and there will not fail,_ &c. by which rendering every thing doubtful in the text is removed. The king commanded a general mour... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE PEOPLE CAME TO CAUSE DAVID TO EAT— When any one died among the Jews, it was customary with the friends of the family to resort to the house immediately after the funeral, and bring the best provisions they had along with them, to support and refresh their friends in afflictions to the utmost... [ Continue Reading ]
IT PLEASED THEM: AS WHATSOEVER, &C.— David's behaviour towards Abner had its success. The sincerity of his sorrow was seen by all the people, and he was universally acquitted of all guilt in his death: nor was this all; he took care to let his servants know, and they doubtless took care to inform th... [ Continue Reading ]